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China Says US Soybeans, Pork Exempt From Tariff Hikes
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese state news agency says U.S. soybeans, pork and some other farm products will be exempt from tariff hikes in a possible goodwill gesture ahead of trade negotiations next month.
The official Xinhua News Agency announced the step Friday, citing unidentified official sources, but gave no details.
Soybeans are the biggest U.S. export to China but purchases stopped after President Donald Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese imports in a fight over trade and technology.
The two sides are preparing for talks in Washington but economists say they expect no final deal this year due to the scale of disagreements between the two sides.
Trump announced this week he would postpone a planned increase in tariffs on Chinese goods as a goodwill gesture ahead of the talks.
Copyright Associated Press
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.


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It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm Steve Inskeep.
And I'm David Greene.
When it comes to politics in this election cycle, Illinois is a place for grand themes.
INSKEEP: It's the home state of Abraham Lincoln, where several Republican candidates now seek to be the leader of the party of Lincoln.
GREENE: Illinois is also the home state of President Obama, the man Republicans desperately want to replace.
INSKEEP: But before any of them get a chance at that they have to survive the long-running, hand-to-hand combat for the Republican nomination, which gets down to the practical question of piling up convention delegates.
GREENE: Many are at stake in today's Illinois primary where Mitt Romney has spent big money to open up a big lead. And we'll begin our coverage from out on the campaign trail with NPR's Ari Shapiro.
Mitt Romney's election eve rally at Bradley University seemed like a recipe for a cakewalk. The backdrop was a perfect sunset over a castle-shaped building on a balmy evening. Huge flowering trees behind Romney perfumed the whole event. And this is Peoria - a solidly red part of Illinois.
Congressman Aaron Schock, who introduced Romney, even graduated from this school.
REPRESENTATIVE AARON SCHOCK: And this is our opportunity as Americans to hire one of the best turnaround artists we've ever seen.
SHAPIRO: Romney's opening remarks were all about economic freedom and opportunity. He defended small government, low taxes and minimal regulation.
MITT ROMNEY: These freedoms make us who we are and make us economically successful and prosperous.
SHAPIRO: He even tweaked Rick Santorum for a comment he made earlier in the day.
ROMNEY: One of the people who's running also for the Republican nomination today said that he doesn't care about the unemployment rate. That doesn't bother him. I do care about the unemployment rate. It does bother me.
SHAPIRO: The thing is, when you turn the floor over to questions from the audience, you never know what you'll get.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: So you're all for like, yay freedom, and all this stuff.
ROMNEY: Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: And, yay, like pursuit of happiness. You know what'd make me happy? Free birth control.
SHAPIRO: The reaction from the audience was a mix of cheers and boos. Romney returned to a line he often uses.
ROMNEY: If you're looking for free stuff you don't have to pay for, vote for the other guy, that's what he's all about. OK? That's not what I'm about.
SHAPIRO: A recent study by the Brookings Institution showed that when government covers the cost of birth control, it actually saves taxpayers money by reducing unwanted pregnancies, particularly among the poor. That study and others like it suggest that eliminating birth control coverage would not reduce the size and cost of government at all.
The second question came from a woman who began by saying: I'm really not talking about birth control when I ask you this question.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: You've made it very clear that you're not in support of Planned Parenthood. But I'm just wondering where you would suggest that the millions of women who receive their health services, such as mammograms and HPV vaccines, go.
SHAPIRO: Well, they can go wherever they'd like to go, this is a free society. But here's what I say, which is the federal government should not tax these people to pay for Planned Parenthood.
These social issues were not the economic themes that Romney had planned to focus on. He returned to his preferred message when a student asked about the cost of education.
ROMNEY: The best thing I can do for student debt is get you a good job when you come out.
SHAPIRO: And he had a similar answer for a realtor, asking how to turn around the housing market.
ROMNEY: The best thing I can do for home values is to get the 8.3 percent of people in this country that are out of work back to work.
SHAPIRO: It was a large crowd but, as the questions demonstrated, not a wholly friendly one.
Christine Slaine is a Bradley University graduate. She's an independent who plans to vote in the Republican primary and she hasn't decided whom to vote for. But Romney did not make a great impression.
CHRISTINE SLAINE: I'm unimpressed by his stance on Planned Parenthood. I do feel that that is something that's necessary for this country and for women. So that may sway my vote.
SHAPIRO: The event had the opposite effect on 19-year-old Natalie Tumms. She describes herself as a left-leaning independent.
NATALIE TUMMS: It kind of made me second guess a couple things.
SHAPIRO: Interesting. In what way?
TUMMS: Well, I would say I'm strongly supporting of social programs and spending for social programs. But to hear candidate Romney talk about how he thinks that there should be more freedom in the economy, it made me start to think about things differently.
SHAPIRO: Tonight, Romney will watch election returns just outside of Chicago. Then it's a flight to Maryland for the next phase in this long-running election drama.
Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Chicago. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ohio State aims to extend streak against Northwestern
EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 4 Ohio State visits No. 16 Northwestern on Saturday night in a game that features one team looking to extend the nation's longest active win streak and another seeking that signature victory.
What better way to do it than with a prime-time audience watching?
"It's why we come to Ohio State," Ohio State defensive lineman Michael Bennett said. "Big games, night games are awesome. We play really well on the road. I don't how many places can say they have back-to-back night games which are huge games."
The Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0 Big) have won 17 straight since dropping four in a row to close out the 2011 season and are eyeing a national championship after going undefeated in coach Urban Meyer's first year. However, they were banned from a bowl game in 2012 because of NCAA sanctions stemming from the tattoo scandal.
Now they're coming off a 31-24 win over Wisconsin, and they're staring at another big hurdle, a team that wants to show it can beat the best in the Big Ten.
A win over the Buckeyes would do just that for the Wildcats (4-0, 0-0).
They cleared one big hurdle last year when they went 10-3 and won a bowl game for the first time since the 1948 team captured the Rose Bowl, and beating Ohio State would be another big feather for Pat Fitzgerald's program.
The last time Northwestern knocked off a Top-five team, Dwight Eishenhower was in the White House. The Wildcats opened the 1959 season with a win over No. 2 Oklahoma and took out No. 5 Iowa a week later, but they haven't beaten a team ranked that high since then.
"This is why you come to play Big Ten football and Division I football," Northwestern defensive lineman Tyler Scott said. "This is where we want our program to be at, to have this hype and this game."
Here are five things to watch in the game:
SAFETY VALVE: Buckeyes safety Christian Bryant broke his left ankle late in the Wisconsin game and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season. With the defensive leader out, Ohio State was looking at Corey Brown, Tyvis Powell or Vonn Bell as replacements this week, and a short-handed secondary could open up the passing game for Northwestern.
"Someone's going to have to step up," Meyer said. "I'm anxious to watch and develop new leadership."
BRAXTON'S BACK: Braxton Miller looked sharp in his return from a sprained left knee. He matched a career-high with four touchdown passes after missing the previous two games.
ON THE MARK: Running back Venric Mark is expected back for the Wildcats after missing three games with a lower-body injury, a huge boost for them in the running game and on special teams. He ran for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns and was a major contributor returning punts and kickoffs last season.
MILESTONE APPROACHING: Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter needs 72 yards rushing to hit the 2,000 mark for his career. He already owns the school season (891) and career (1,928) rushing records for a QB.
URBAN REVIEWAL: Meyer has vivid memories of his most recent trip to Northwestern. It was late in 2001, when he was in his first season at Bowling Green, and his Falcons beat the Wildcats 43-42 in a matchup that wasn't supposed to happen. Both teams had games cancelled in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and what happened when they got together was nothing short of wild. Bowling Green scored 29 points in the fourth quarter, including two touchdowns about 90 seconds apart in the closing minutes, and racked up 618 yards in the game. Northwestern finished with 624 yards.
"We had a six-hour bus ride and we refused to leave the locker room for about two and a half hours," Meyer said. "Those kids wouldn't leave and I wouldn't leave with them. We were just crying and enjoying it."


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Suppose there are two time series that I want to analyze and compare. However, many, or most, of the data are zeroes for some reason. For example, consider a pair of intraday trading returns time series. In most days, the trading strategies don't trade at all, so most of the returns are zeroes.
How can I understand their correlation? I suppose I can just keep all the zeroes, and use the raw data to calculate the correlation. Any other thoughts?
If I want to identify the time period when the returns are different substantially, I must think about the zeroes carefully. For example, time period A gives 0.2% in each of 20 days out of 100 days, but time period B gives 0.1% in 40 days out of 100 days. How do I compare and determine them?


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I got an interesting letter from a reader last week who wanted to comment on my previous post exploring the merits of public vs. private employee pay and benefits.
She wasn't able to post a comment on the story at the time, so I am taking the liberty to post her letter here. Enjoy.
I work as an accountant in the private sector, but have also worked in public sector. I see all the salary information, pension agreements, I can see personal files, level of education. I built excel sheets where I import salary data against level of education, and guess what, Ted? (Note: My friends from high school call me Ted. I hate it. My name is Daniel. UPDATE: I was not implying Allison is my friend. She isn't. She accidentally called me Ted, which, sadly, isn't uncommon) If you get an education, you make more than those who don't, across the board. The real losers in this game are the people that believe that they suffer from outlier syndrome, and think that showing up for work everyday on time with no education beyond high school is going to make them a millionaire. We have raised, in my opinion, two generations of individuals that live under the entitlement system, they feel underpaid because they are so out of touch with reality.
The reality is that an employee is an expense and a liability to an employer, public and private. The people that get paid well, understand their place on the balance sheet and income statement. They are involved with the business more than just 9 to 5. They seek out new business, bring ideas about cost reduction. They don't use up every hour of their sick allowance or personal days. In short, they minimize their expense to the company and maximize their
ability to contribute to income. Have you ever met a dedicated employee that also takes every single paid day off that they can? Is this in the best interest of the company to have an employee out on personal leave, sick leave, and also vacation 20 to 30 business days a year? It's work, not get paid to feel important while your at home playing with your G4 phone.
If I went to our CEO and started telling that person I was underpaid and deserved a COLA adjustment, there's a high probability that I would be laid off, because that request is not rooted in reality. Human beings are priceless. Employees are expenses that must be managed for a business to remain profitable, or for a public service agency to maintain funds for appropriate
In the coming decade, we are going to have the crap taxed out of business and individuals, so we are still in a trend where there are going to be fewer and fewer resources. The time for belt tightening is here, and won't have any real upward movement for several years. We will have a better economy and better pay when the indicators start perking up, new home starts, jobless
claims, CPI, etc. Those indicators are very real, and are the reason everyone
can't "make bank" like we did in the 90's.
I don't want to dissect this in depth, but I do want to offer up a couple comments.
First, I think her initial hypothesis is right and wrong. I went to college and I have plenty of friends with degrees who are underpaid and overworked. In fact, much of the empirical data (and here) out now suggests a college degree doesn't exactly mean you are going to be swimming with Scrooge McDuck. That may contribute to people's perception of being under paid, i.e., they believe they should be paid more because their worth – based on education, intelligence, experience, etc. – is more than their value – actual job duties.
As for the paragraph on valuable employees who go beyond what is asked, I think the conundrum a lot of people face today is motivation and priorities. For career driven individuals whose work is their life, this statement makes sense and the ends justify the means.
For the average worker, they believe the basic 9-5 aspects of their job, done well, are credit enough to earn a wage that allows them to provide for their family, live somewhat comfortably (I'm not talking Mariah Carey comfortable) have security, the ability to continue their way of life past retirement, and – the big change in today's world – the opportunity to have a life outside work that provides fulfillment. Is that possible when – in order to get a raise, better pay, have job security – you are actually not asked to do your job, you are asked to do your job and someone else's? Is that fair? Does fair matter?
Last, I want to address this statement: "Human beings are priceless. Employees are expenses that must be managed for a business to remain profitable, or for a public service agency to maintain funds for appropriate programming."
Employees hate to hear they are a dime a dozen. Even more, they hate to be looked at as mules, there to be worked to provide for someone else's riches. But Allison's point can't be overlooked. Businesses have to do what is necessary to survive at times. What is difficult is being able to tell when it is survival and when it is greed. (On both sides of the coin, employees and employers)
In the end, what is the more successful business? One where managers are able to boost production and profit at all costs and keep a select group of executives highly paid and successful or one where the mass of employees are happy and successful and the profit margin is marginalized?
Depends on your definition of success.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com | Twitter: @dgtedford @sgvtribune | Facebook: SGVTribune


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2 min read
Here's a rough summary of our worldview: excellence = design x culture. Your job as a leader is to get both right. You must build a winning structure for your organization and then foster the often unspoken rules and values that will bring that structure to life.
By Jostle
Via HBR Blog Network by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss
Here's a rough summary of our worldview: excellence = design x culture. Your job as a leader is to get both right. You must build a winning structure for your organization and then foster the often unspoken rules and values that will bring that structure to life.
People tend to gravitate towards the design challenge, which includes things like strategy, business models, and incentive systems. The levers of design change are tangible. We can draw org charts and issue stock options. We can hire management consultants to help us.
But if we may be blunt for a second, what the hell is culture? And how exactly do you get any better at it?
In short, culture guides discretionary behavior and it picks up where the employee handbook leaves off. Culture tells us how to respond to an unprecedented service request. It tells us whether to risk telling our bosses about our new ideas, and whether to surface or hide problems. Employees make hundreds of decisions on their own every day, and culture is our guide. Culture tells us what to do when the CEO isn't in the room, which is of course most of the time.
As part of our research for Uncommon Service, we went hunting for patterns among organizations with highly effective service cultures. The companies we studied all demonstrated high levels of the following — call them the 3Cs of culture:
Clarity. Company leaders knew exactly what kind of a culture they wanted to build, and the critical role it played in achieving their performance objectives. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh understood that the humility and humanity of his employees were key inputs into the company's service advantage, and he memorialized these traits in the company's 10-point list of "Zappos Family Values." Hsieh built a company around these concepts. They became values with teeth, powerful enough to shape tough decisions about hiring, strategy, and growth.
Communication. When he started JetBlue, David Neeleman famously flew as a member of the crew once a month. He would put on an apron and serve coffee up and down the aisle, introducing himself to passengers. The gesture not only electrified passengers on these flights, but also sent a buzz throughout the entire organization. Neeleman made it explicit that everyone, at every level, was in service to JetBlue customers. The companies we studied made similar choices. They relentlessly signaled their core values, particularly when people were likely to be highly receptive to these messages such as recruiting and orientation, or moments of crisis.
Consistency. Finally, these companies quickly rooted out cultural "breaks" — misalignment between their desired culture and the organization's behavior. One of our favorite fixes is from the service improvement efforts at Ochsner Health Systems. A barrier for Ochsner was the urgent, time-sensitive clinic atmosphere, where everyone had an important job to do quickly. So Baton Rouge CEO Mitch Wasden decided to institute something called the 5-10 Rule. He asked employees to start visually acknowledging anyone within ten feet of them — with a smile, for example — and to start verbally acknowledging anyone within five feet. Now everyone's job was to pause and recognize the humanity of the people around them, which transformed the company's service culture.
We like this last example because it blows up the idea that culture is this fixed and mysterious concept, something you just have to put up with as a leader for better or (more often) worse. In fact, it's something you get to design, build and nurture, just like other aspects of the organization.
What's made the biggest difference to the culture in your organization? What can leaders do to create cultural advantage?
Read more by
Jostle's employee success platform is where everyone connects, communicates, and celebrates at work. Find out more at jostle.me. © 2009–2024 Jostle Corporation. All rights reserved.


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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Aug. 23, 2016 — At IBC2016, Sept. 9-13 in Amsterdam on stand 1.B20, Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure, will showcase the industry's first native UHD virtual reality (VR) technology demonstration in collaboration with Dutch research institute TNO. Powered by TNO's world-class HEVC tiling technology, which enables efficient distribution of VR content at very high quality over existing content delivery networks, the groundbreaking demo will enable participants to enjoy a completely immersive VR experience on head-mounted devices, with video resolution 10 times higher than that offered by existing commercially deployed VR services.
"VR is a game changer for content providers, broadcasters and pay-TV operators, especially for live sports. Market research estimates that by 2020, VR video services will capture $1 billion in revenue, with live sporting events representing more than one-third of that amount. But the video quality has to be exceptional in order to provide a fully immersive experience," said Bart Spriester, senior vice president, video products at Harmonic. "We believe HEVC tiling is the most promising technology for delivering high video quality on head-mounted VR devices. Working together with TNO's world-leading experts on this technology demonstration, we'll bring to life outstanding VR experiences with native UHD resolution."
Harmonic will also showcase its VR innovation alongside Viaccess-Orca through a new multiview app. Using space-related content from Harmonic on a Samsung Gear VR headset and leveraging Viaccess-Orca's Connected Sentinel Player, the demo will simulate a live VR environment by providing synchronized, multiple perspectives for a richer VR experience.
Additionally, during IBC2016, Thierry Fautier, vice president, video strategy at Harmonic, will share his expertise on VR technology as a presenter at a conference session dedicated to new ideas in VR and 360-degree immersive media. His paper presentation, titled "VR Video Ecosystem for Live Distribution," is slated for Saturday, Sept. 10, at 10:45 a.m. at the RAI.
Continuing its pioneering efforts on the VR front, Harmonic is also participating in the DVB Commercial Module Study Mission Group report on VR. The group's main objective is to investigate the commercial case for VR technology. Based on findings, the DVB will then offer insight into commercial requirements, and consequent technical specifications, for distribution of VR content over broadcast or IP networks. Results of the study are expected to be published after IBC2016.
Further information about Harmonic and the company's products is available at www.harmonicinc.com.
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About Harmonic
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) is the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure for emerging television and video services. Harmonic enables customers to produce, deliver and monetize amazing video experiences, with unequalled business agility and operational efficiency, by providing market-leading innovation, high-quality service, and compelling total-cost-of-ownership. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.
EDITOR'S NOTE — Product and company names used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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April storms delivered a mix of rain and snow to the northern half of the West but didn't provide much relief for the dry southern half, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) May 2014 water supply forecast.
Washington, most of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the northern parts of Colorado and Utah, are expected to have near normal or above normal water supplies, according to forecasts from the Natural Resources Conservation Service's National Water and Climate Center (NWCC). Streamflows that are far below normal are forecast for the southern parts of Oregon and Utah, southwestern Idaho, California, Arizona, New Mexico and western Nevada.
Many of these areas are in the nearly 500 counties experiencing drought across the country, 57 of them in California alone, according to USDA disaster designations.
Snowpack generally peaks in early April, and then begins to melt. Forecasters will continue to monitor conditions in preparation for the June 1 outlook, according to NWCC hydrologist Cara McCarthy. She said the rate of snowmelt in Montana and Wyoming will be especially important, because the record snow in some basins in those areas creates flooding potential.
"These areas will be most vulnerable if snow melts rapidly during a hot spell, or if there's extreme rain while the streams are swollen with snowmelt," McCarthy said. "We're hoping for a slow, consistent melt that will reduce the risk of flooding."
In western states where snowmelt accounts for the majority of seasonal water supply, information about snowpack serves as an indicator of future water availability. Streamflow in the West consists largely of accumulated mountain snow that melts and flows into streams as temperatures warm into spring and summer. USDA scientists analyze the snowpack, air temperature, soil moisture and other measurements taken from remote sites to develop the water supply forecasts.
The NWCC water supply forecast is part of a group of USDA efforts to improve public awareness of and to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, including drought and other extreme weather events. Through the creation of the National Drought Resilience Partnership, launched as part of the President's Climate Action Plan, federal agencies are working closely with states, tribes and local government to develop a coordinated response to drought.
Since 1939, USDA has conducted snow surveys and issued regular water supply forecasts.
View the May Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecast map or view information by state.


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Editor's Note – The elected officials who "celebrate" the awarding of more federal money act as if this is found money or lottery winnings of some sort, which it is not. This is money we simply do not have, money that only adds to the mounting debt that is slowly crushing this country.
The attitude we see here by the proponents of high speed rail should provide all the evidence needed to convince you that we have yet to meet the politician who's willing to make the difficult decisions to address the financial catastrophe that awaits us.
Such a simple concept, to cut spending, yet, politicians wax poetically all day long on the great benefits that will befall us if only we spend a little more. Elected officials have been making this promise for decades with the only consistency being more debt.
Other States Provide Most Final Tampa-Orlando Rail Money
By Keith Laing
The News Service Of Florida
Rail backers in Florida celebrated receiving more of the final money needed to build a long-sought bullet train along the I-4 corridor between Orlando and Tampa Thursday, which was awarded to Florida from grants given originally to other states that have backed away from rail projects.There have been objections to rail from newly-elected leaders in Florida like Gov.-elect Rick Scott too, but Scott has said he was opposed to the state paying for the train, not the proposal itself. With this latest award, $342.3 million, Florida will have received from Washington the full $2.6 billion that former Gov. Jeb Bush once used to successfully argue the train was too expensive.
U.S. Rep. John Mica, R-Orlando, said it should be enough to ensure the train, which was added to the state constitution in 2000 but removed in 2004, is actually built.
"Additional federal funding for the new Orlando to Tampa passenger rail link should ensure the project's chance for successful completion," said Mica, who is in line to chair the U.S. House's Transportation Committee when Republicans assume control there next month.
Newly-elected Republican governors in states like Wisconsin and Ohio said after the November elections that they did not want to build rail projects in their states, which led directly to Florida's windfall Thursday. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood notified the states that the rail money did not have to be used, but it could not be re-allocated to other areas in the cash-strapped states' budgets, even transportation projects like roads and highways.
Rail supporters in Florida have worried that could happen here with the dawn of the Scott administration, which he has promised would be much more conservative than Gov. Charlie Crist. The outgoing chief executive has vocally supported rail.
However, thus far Scott has only said he would study the "feasibility" of the rail project. But Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said Thursday that with the federal government providing almost all of the money for the train, there was not much left to study.
"The federal government has stepped up and done its part," Nelson said. "There should be no reason now why this can't get done."
Scott's Fort Lauderdale-based transition did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.
If Scott does not put the brakes on the train by returning the money, supporters have said it could begin running in 2015. Even before other states' loss became Florida's rail gain, the Tampa to Orlando bullet had clearly emerged as a preferred cornerstone of President Barack Obama's stated plan to build a high speed rail network that rivals the federal interstate highway system.
When Obama announced awards for $8 billion in the 2009 federal economic stimulus, which the latest redirect comes from, he gave a nationally-televised speech in central Florida.
Florida received $1.25 billion of the original $8 billion, second only to California's take away. This fall, the Federal Railroad Administration gave Florida another $800 million, bringing the federal investment in the project over $2 billion.
Mica said the third award for the project in almost two years showed "a strong commitment will help make certain that the state and local community governments and taxpayers are not left on the hook for completing construction or subsidizing future operational costs."
"It is now essential that the private sector step up to the plate and submit proposals that cover any gap in funding the balance of the estimated $2.7 billion mega-project," he said.
Mica also alluded to a recently defeated light rail proposal in Hillsborough County that supporters envision connecting to the high speed train, saying that Orlando may be further along in its overall development of rail than the city the money awarded Wednesday will be used to connect it to.
A proposed light rail in Hillsborough County was soundly defeated in November when voters there overwhelmingly rejected a countywide transportation tax that would have funded the train and expanded bus service in Tampa. The measure¸ which was projected to raise $180 million for transportation initiatives in the area, was strongly backed by business groups and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. But it was soundly defeated, with 58 percent of the county electorate voting no.
"While passenger levels on the new rail system from the Orlando Airport to the tourist area and Disney World are expected to produce substantial revenue, and while today's announcement should ensure construction of the entire system, passenger service to Tampa may need to be added incrementally as the Tampa Bay area develops a future fixed transit regional distribution system," Mica said.
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You might think an auto writer/blogger would be able to find some way around the terrible experience of going to the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). Unfortunately this is not the case. I had to go to an MVA office today to get new Tags & a Title for my Honda Accord. Here is the story of my experience.
I went late in the day, probably around 3pm. Always a bad idea. It is a better idea to go earlier in the day. This is when people are just trying to make it afterwork or taking off early to go to the MVA. Instead of going to Mondawmin Mall, where the Baltimore City MVA office was, I went to the new Hilltop Shopping Center office on Reisterstown Rd. Apparently the Mondawmin office closed in May and they moved to the Hilltop location.
I waited in line for the information desk for about 20-30 minutes. What I found strange is when I got up to the desk I told the lady, "I need to register my car and get Tags." I handed her the California title and inspection certificate, she took both and looked at the title like it was some weird document. Without saying anything she went over and starting talking with the supervisor for 5 minutes. I was thinking, "Really? They don't see out-of-state titles?" She came back to the desk and just said, "Fillout the information on the back as well."
I took my ticket and sat down in the waiting area. I started filling out the Title form and making sure I had everything set. I realized I needed to go get the mileage from my car. I thought I might not have time to do this… then I realized I was at the MVA. There was plenty of time!
When I came back in from getting the mileage out of the car, I looked around at all the people in the MVA. It didn't matter age, race, gender, whatever because everyone has the same exact look at the MVA! "I just want to get out of here!" Why won't this line move?" "Why is it taking so long?"
Luckily I brought a book 'Real Money' by Jim Cramer, but it is hard to read in there. There is the automated voice that goes off every 20 seconds "Now serving C45 at number 12." After another 30+ minutes I finally got my number called. You feel like jumping and up down when that happens.
I handed the lady my title, form, and bill of sale. She was pretty helpful and nice. She commented about my car, "Wow! The mileage on this is really good!" I told her the story of how I drove it across the country and that it was my Grandma's car. "Oh so she just used it to drive to Church and the Grocery store?" I replied "Yeah, pretty much!" She told me her Grandma had a Mercedes that had very few miles on it too. When I got out my credit card to pay I gave her my business card and said I was an auto journalist. We talked about that for awhile and I told her about how I got a media pass to the Baltimore Grand Prix. She seemed enthusiast about it and asked me some questions.
So I spent about 2 hours getting to the MVA office, waiting, waiting some more, and actually doing what I needed to do, before getting back to my house. It cost $266.40 to register, get a title, and for 2 MD license plates. Since I was smart enough to get a bill of sale stating the car was bought for $0 and therefore a gift, I was not charged 6% sales tax. It would have more expensive if I did not have that. Of course I still spent too much time there!


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Credits // 01. wall stickers | 02. mobile | 03. dress | 04. cushions | 05. print | 06. night light
Ice cream cones are popping up on just about everything this Spring and Summer Season, and these goodies are so sweet they will have your babiekins literally screaming for ice cream! This round-up of fun and cute ice cream cones in pretty pastel colors has an extra scoop of cuteness and reminds me of of being a kid and chasing after the ice cream truck on a hot summer day; I can almost hear the jingle from the ice cream truck as I am typing this. Your babiekins will love playing with, decorating and wearing ice cream cones while eating their favorite treat this summer – an ice cream cone of course!
You scream, I scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!


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The statues of Sir Eyre-Coote, K.B. by Thomas Banks (1788) and
Marquis Cornwallis, K.G. by John Bacon, Senior (1791) in the Gurkha Stair in the former India Office, which was part of the Foreign and Colonial Office (now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), Whitehall, London. on 17th September 2017, in Whitehall, London, England. The main Foreign Office building is in King Charles Street, and was built by George Gilbert Scott in partnership with Matthew Digby Wyatt and completed in 1868 as part of the new block of government offices which included the India Office and later (1875) the Colonial and Home Offices. George Gilbert Scott was responsible for the overall classical design of these offices but he had an amicable partnership with Wyatt, the India Office's Surveyor, who designed and built the interior of the India Office.


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On Our Table: Beautiful Handmade Cutting Boards & Wooden Kitchen Accessories
When Geoffrey Lilge agreed to help outfit Highlands Kitchen, his wife's award-winning restaurant in Edmonton, Canada, he had no idea it would lead to a new career for him. He became obsessed with finding the perfect cutting and charcuterie boards, which eventually led to On Our Table, a collection of handcrafted wooden kitchen objects that Lilge makes in his Alberta woodshop.
Four years of prototyping and restaurant testing, as well as "gluttonous amounts of charcuterie," resulted in a small collection of custom made-to-order boards and kitchen accessories. Every board is made out of FSC-certified walnut and features easy-to-hold oversize handles and a natural oil and beeswax finish. They are created, as Lilge says, "to inspire people to savour every detail when cooking, dining and sharing – bon appetit!"
• 1. 10.4.2 Utensil Crate in Walnut, $175CAD
• 2. 10.6.2 Box Knife Block, $175CAD
• 3. 4.3.2 BRS Board 14×18 Cutting Board, $118CAD
• 4. 10.3.2 Box : Knife Shelf, $125CAD
• 5. 6.3.2 Hole Slab Large Charcuterie Board, $250CAD
Visit the website → On Our Table


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ANACARDIACEAE (Cashew Family)
Contributed by David J. Bogler and George Yatskievych
Plants trees, shrubs, or lianas, usually dioecious, with well-developed resin canals in the bark and leaves and acrid or milky sap. Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, trifoliate, or less commonly appearing simple. Stipules absent or obscure. Inflorescences terminal or axillary panicles or clusters. Flowers small, actinomorphic, almost always imperfect, usually hypogynous. Sepals usually 5, fused at the base. Petals usually 5, distinct. Stamens 5–10, the filaments usually distinct, reduced or absent in pistillate flowers, the anthers attached above the base. Cuplike nectar disk present between stamens and pistil. Pistil of usually 3 fused carpels, but almost always with only 1 carpel fertile and fully developed; reduced or absent in staminate flowers. Ovary with a single fertile ovule (or rarely 1 ovule per carpel), often appearing 1-locular, the placentation axile. Styles 3, distinct or united. Stigmas 3, capitate. Fruits drupes, often somewhat flattened, often waxy or hairy, the stone 1-seeded, bony. Sixty to 80 genera, about 600 species, chiefly tropical, but extending into temperate areas of North and South America, Asia, and Europe.
The family includes a number of important fruits and nuts, including pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), and cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.). A small number of species are cultivated as ornamentals. However, many members are poisonous or cause severe dermatitis.


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Visualization, Planning, and Monitoring Software for MRI-Guided Prostate Intervention Robot.
Proceedings Lecture Notes in Computer Science Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI). 3217, 73-80. Balogh2004.pdf (707.08 KB)
(2004). Virtual remote center of motion control for needle placement robots.
Journal of Computer Assisted Surgery. 9 (5), 175-183. Boctor2004d.pdf (1.74 MB)
(2004). Virtual remote center of motion control for needle placement robots.
Journal of Computer Aided Surgery. 9, 175–183. Boctor2003b.pdf (399.33 KB)
(2003). Validation system of MR image overlay and other needle insertion techniques.
Studies in health technology and informatics. 125, 130–135. Fischer2007a.pdf (404.46 KB)
(2007). Validation of MRI to TRUS registration for HDR prostate brachytherapy.
Brachytherapy. 17, 283-290. Poulin2018.pdf (2.46 MB)
(2018). Utility of 3D Reconstruction of 2D Liver Computed Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Images as a Surgical Planning Tool for Residents in Liver Resection Surgery.
Journal of Surgical Education. 75, 792-797. Yeo2017.pdf (527.68 KB)
(2018). Using Fuzzy Logics to Determine Optimal Oversampling Factor for Voxelizing 3D Surfaces in Radiation Therapy.
Soft Computing. Pinter2020a.pdf (713.06 KB)
(2020). Use of Needle Track Detection to Quantify the Displacement of Stranded Seeds Following Prostate Brachytherapy.
IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging. 31, 738 - 748.
(2012). Uncertainty estimation for margin detection in cancer surgery using mass spectrometry.
International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery.
(2022). Ultrasound–fluoroscopy registration for prostate brachytherapy dosimetry.
Medical Image Analysis. 16, 1347-1358. Dehghan_etal_US_Fluoro_Reg.pdf (1.82 MB)
(2012). Ultrasound-guided facet joint injection training using Perk Tutor.
International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery. 8, 831-6.
(2013). Ultrasound-guided Characterization of Interstitial Ablated Tissue Using RF Time Series: Feasibility Study..
IEEE transactions on bio-medical engineering. Imani2013.pdf (844.77 KB)
(2013). Ultrasound Snapshots in Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement Navigation: A Feasibility Study.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. Ungi2013e_WebVersion.pdf (653.91 KB)
(2013). Ultrasound monitoring of tissue ablation via deformation model and shape priors.
Medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention (MICCAI). 9, 405–412. Boctor2006b.pdf (6.61 MB)
(2006). Ultrasound elastography: a dynamic programming approach.
IEEE transactions on medical imaging. 27, 1373–1377. Rivaz2008a.pdf (364.08 KB)
(2008). Ultrasound-, CT-, MR-Guided Robot-Assisted Interventions.
Image Processing in Radiology. 3, 393-409.
(2008). Transrectal prostate biopsy inside closed MRI scanner with remote actuation and under real-time image guidance.
Lecture Notes in Computer Science Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI). 2488 part 1, 91-98. Fichtinger2002a.pdf (1.22 MB)
(2002). Transrectal prostate biopsy and fiducial marker placement in a standard 1 5T magnetic resonance imaging scanner.
The Journal of Urology. 175, 113–120. Susil2006.pdf (942.99 KB)
(2006). Transrectal Fiducial Carrier for Radiographic Image Registration in Prostate Brachytherapy.
Journal of Medical Physics. 32, 2108-2108. Kemper2005.pdf (4.07 MB)
(2005). Transperineal prostate biopsy under magnetic resonance image guidance: a needle placement accuracy study.
Journal of magnetic resonance imaging. 26, 688–694. Blumenfeld2007.pdf (393.43 KB)
(2021). Tracked ultrasonography snapshots enhance needle guidance for percutaneous renal access: a pilot study.
J Endourol. 28, 1040-5. Ungi2014b.pdf (533.29 KB)
(2014). Towards Intra-Operative Dosimetry in Prostate Brachytherapy.
Journal of Medical Physics. 32, 2159-2159. Jain2005c.pdf (4.07 MB)
(2005). Toward teleoperated needle steering under continuous MRI guidance for prostate percutaneous interventions.
The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery. Seifabadi2015-manuscript.pdf (1.86 MB)


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Employees of fast food companies are on strike around the country Thursday, demanding higher wages and union privileges. The Service Employees International Union claims the strike will hit as many as 60 cities from coast-to-coast. Fifty years after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom demanded a $2 minimum wage, the workers are asking for the same buying power, calling for $15 dollars-a-day. The current minimum wage is $7.25.
"I think it really is a sign of things to come. It sort of is the vanguard of change," said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, whose organization represents 12 million workers. "More to come unless the economy starts to work, with decent standards of living and benefits."
Many of the fast food workers are expected to have support from their representatives in Congress. Democratic Reps. Judy Chu and Barbara Lee of California, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, David Cicilline of Rhode Island, John Conyers of Michigan, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green of Texas, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, along with Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) are expected to join the workers, according to Politico.
Fast food jobs have notoriously low wages, which the SEIU claims are increasingly unfair in an industry that hauls in $200 billion. The nearly 505,000 American fast food cooks made on average $9.03 an hour last year, while the 2.9 million preparation and serving workers earned on average $9 an hour. In July, the average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was $23.98 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Previous strikes in New York this year have been unsuccessful.


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Asheville, North Carolina – local, homegrown & handmade
Have you ever dreamt of a place where the soil was lush and fertile? Where the sounds and sights of nature wrap you up in it's peaceful beauty, and then upon further exploration you find that this magical realm's people are even more beautiful than it's landscape. A place where the inspiring beauty of the residents is then exceeded by their charm, warmth, and talent. And this talent is frequently directed towards producing some of the best feasting fare and whistle wetters you have ever had. We had thought that scenario could only be realized in a novel or a myth, then we discovered Asheville.
Dodie Stephens of ashevilletravel, or more properly known as the Public Relations Manager for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, arranged for a Culinary Blogger Bash through their local FoodtopianSociety. She invited Alison of Humble Gourmand, Tami of Running with Tweezers, and Jaden of Steamy Kitchen to experience the culinary wonders of Asheville, North Carolina.
Jaden, being the sexy food goddess that she is, cast off her family from the trip and arranged for a few other lucky bloggers to be thrown into the mix. Helen of Tartelette, Brian of The Food Geek, and of course, lucky us (I finally got to be included on one of Diane's trips! I promised to be on my best behavior) now had arrangements to explore Asheville, North Carolina.
Dodie had beautifully arranged for a culinary packed few days, however this utopia wasn't limited to our excursions. She had arranged for us to stay at the incredible Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa. It was here, in their 4-Diamond restaurant Horizons, that for one evening our whole group was treated to a meal that was one of the best of either my or Diane's life.
Although we arrived a day later than most of the gang and had missed the first day's feasting and exploring, it felt like you could explore Asheville's culinary scene for years and still not touch upon everything. It would be easy to rattle on about Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountain's scenic beauty and local attractions for days, however that is what guidebooks are for. We want to share what completely made us fall in love with Asheville.
What truly was Asheville's most endearing quality were her people and their love for food and drink. Especially when those crafted belly-goods came from within their own community. Asheville is striving towards becoming that pure ideal where nearly everything is grown, raised, or made locally and with great care and excellence. From the homegrown locals, to the imported residents, Asheville's food love has garnered an unbelievable range of phenomenally talented people and with a community that supports it, and they are thriving.
We fell in love them them all and their stories and over the next few days we will be sharing the stories of some of the extraordinary people we were lucky enough to meet and hope you will fall in love with them as well.
So over the next week or two, we'll begin our latest travel series, this time focused on Asheville, North Carolina and her wonderful farmers, artisans, ranchers, food producers and Chefs:
- Steve, Wake Robin Farm Breads – wood burning breads
- Dave, Farm and Sparrow – wood burning pastries
- Jaime Ager, Hickory Nut Gap Farm Meats – grass fed and finished beef, pork
- Belinda & April, Sunny Point Cafe – harvesting from their cafe garden
- Kevin, Grove Park Inn Resort – menu full of ingredients from local farmers
- Jael & Dan Rattigan, French Broad Chocolate Lounge – handmade chocolate highlighting local ingredients
- Cori & family, Spinning Spider Creamery – farmstead goat cheeses
- Local Breweries, French Broad Brewery , Highland Brewery & Brews Cruise
- Biltmore Estates Winery – mixology & wine blending
- Mark Rosenstein, The Market Place – Asheville's slow food guru
Read our other Asheville stories
- Asheville, NC- local, homegrown and handmade
- Iron Chef Food Blogger Competition
- Wood Burning Oven Bakers – Steve Bardwell of Wake Robin Farms and Dave Bauer of Farm & Sparrow
- Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Twitter- @WhiteOnRice
If you like our little travel adventures and haven't seen the posts on some of our previous gallivanting, check out our other travel essay series:


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Kittens Wrestling Takes Cuteness to New Heights [VIDEO]
Forget bear cub wrestling. The best action we've ever seen in a miniature ring has to be this epically adorable wrestling match between two pugnacious kittys.
Thankfully, neither cat resorts to foreign objects during their minute-plus battle, but there is a whole lot of scratching going on.
Who is the kitty wrestling champion? Watch below and decide.
[via Huffington Post]


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Santa Ana, California, was the destination for Jim Pinto in early March for the Living Help Crisis Pregnancy Center's fund raising dinner. Jim was the keynote speaker at the banquet and stirred the faith of 300 appreciative attendees. He also met privately and prayed with the Living Help Center's leadership, including Director Anne Bayer, who is also the Mayor of Downey, California.
Jim joined local pro-lifers for sidewalk counseling at a Downey abortion mill, which was located adjacent to a high school. The short but productive trip resulted in new relationships with local clergy, including Protestant pastors, and a growing awareness in the Los Angeles area of Priests for Life's ministry.


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Record Arctic ice low drives urgent global action
Posted on 19 September 2012
Today's announcement of a record low for Arctic sea ice extent shows the need for urgent local and global actions, say WWF experts.
Gland, Switzerland – Today's announcement of a record low for Arctic sea ice extent shows the need for urgent local and global actions, say WWF experts. According to satellite monitoring, the low of 3.41 million square kilometers was reached on September 16. This is a loss of ice nearly twice the size of Alaska, compared to the average minimum from 1979 to 2000."This is a critical loss of habitat for a whole sea ice dependent ecosystem and the unique animals that rely on that system," says Martin Sommerkorn of WWF's Global Arctic Programme. "We know the ice is on a continuing downward trajectory. What's shocking is just how quickly it is happening. We need to plan now for an Arctic where the ice is virtually gone for the summer, as that is the situation we will soon be facing – this means conserving the critical habitat that remains."
The sea ice loss should be a gigantic wakeup call for all of us on climate change, says Samantha Smith of WWF's Global Climate and Energy Initiative. "Climate change won't stop at the Arctic Circle. Scientists tell us that the rapid loss of Arctic sea ice is linked to wet summers, severe winters and extreme weather events in the northern hemisphere. And other global climate impacts we're seeing are at least as serious, such as this year's record droughts with their impacts on food production, food prices and hunger."
Scientists have concluded that as much as 70% - 90% of the reduction in sea ice is caused by climate change. "It is a fact that global warming is caused by the unrelenting increase in greenhouse gases. Unless we make systematic and dramatic cuts in polluting gases, we will end up with a climate that is unrecognizable, unpredictable, and difficult for natural systems and people, says Smith."
Of deepening concern are recent reports about oil exploration in the Arctic. "It is ironic that the place that is seeing the fastest impacts of climate change is set to become the source of its problems." says Sommerkorn. Smith adds, "We can no longer ignore the warnings about climate change and global warming. We, together with an increasingly concerned public, have to show how the move to 100% renewable energy is possible, practical and essential if we are to get to a cleaner and safer future."
Read The Energy Report at


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Including Pure by Terra Elan McVoy. I do hope you'll take a moment to check out the shortlisted titles. After reading this interview of course. Because right here, right now, its all about Terra Elan McVoy and her wonderful YA debut Pure. My review
Hi Terra - congratulations on the recent release of your second novel After the Kiss. Can you tell us a little about yourself and Pure?
Well, I grew up in Tallahassee, FL, and was in love with reading and writing pretty much as soon as I learned how to them. I've always written poems and stories, and I've almost always had jobs that have something to do with reading or writing in some way, including teaching fiction and composition when I was a grad student at Florida State University.
I started writing Pure when I was working in publishing in New York. I was reading a lot of YA fiction that I felt didn't really represent what life was like being a pretty "normal" teenager, and I thought that was weird. I mean, I didn't go to an elite boarding school; my parents weren't incredibly rich (and always leaving me on my own while they traveled to Japan or wherever), or dying of cancer; I wasn't plotting the revengeful murder of any of my friends, and I certainly wasn't in love with a vampire (as far as I know). I had pimples and boys and clothes and work and church and friends to deal with, and that was dramatic enough! So I wanted to write something about how hard it is, having to grow up, define yourself, and choose your own morality. When I was given an article about purity rings, it all sort of clicked together, and I felt like I'd found the hook for my story.
A "normal" teenager, so that's why there was homework and actual test to study for.
Purity rings is a topic I would have bet serious money, I would never have read a book about. Terra, you cost me a lot of imaginary money and I know I can't be the only one. Pure has been out for over a year. What has the feedback been from readers who were tentative about picking it up because of the subject matter?
Happily, for me, most people have had the same reaction you did. They thought "Oh my gah. I cannot read a book with all this Jesus stuff in it!" Some people have been put off, sure, but it seems like ultimately, when they got into it and gave it a chance, they saw that there was a lot more to Pure than a bunch of preaching in one direction or another. It was really, really important to me to be fair to everyone in the book, and to take each side as seriously as they would themselves, and that included religion. But nothing in life is really simple and clear-cut, even if, like Morgan, we want it to be sometimes. I'm glad that a lot of people are finding out that this book isn't clear-cut, either.
Pure is written in such a balanced and thoughtful matter, it could easily lead to questions and conversations. I will never understand purity rings, though in the end it comes down to respecting the choices of others. One way to do this is through dialogue.
That is definitely one thing I was trying to accomplish with this book.
I found your main character 15 Tabitha very likable and realistic. When you started writing, did you always know the type of girl Tabitha would be? Or did that change over time?
Tab was very, very clear to me from the second I started writing. I heard her voice right away and knew her pretty completely, including knowing how she'd handle things in the end. It's why I was able to write the book in the first place: something I'd never done before and never thought I'd try to attempt. Tabitha, thank goodness, was more certain and solid than I was a lot of the time!
Tabitha's friendships with her three closet friends (who also have purity rings) is broken when one of the girls has sex. Tabitha's best friend Morgan is strong in her convictions and will not have anything to do with the other girl. Tabitha must choose between a friend or a life promise. Being 15, its the first time she faces something like that and struggles with it. I always assume authors become very close to their main characters. Was it hard to put Tabitha in such a difficult position?
No because I knew she was going to be okay. And that dilemma you pinpoint is exactly what I wanted to write about. When you are in high school, you can lose friends almost overnight by making certain decisions: who you're going to hang out with, what classes you're going to take, if you'll get a job, what you wear . It's painful and awful and horrible, but it's also amazing and very, very important. I knew Tab was going to suffer, but because I had to go through very similar things once myself, I knew she was going to come out okay, and stronger in herself.
Tabitha's bestfriend Morgan likes to be in control and have the best of everything when compared to her friends. What did you want readers to take away from their relationship?
Mainly just that life is change. As you grow and develop, the relationships you have need to grow and develop with you --make room for who you have become-- because if they can't or don't, they aren't going to last very long. But also that growing and changing (and maybe losing things in the process) is okay
Religion is always a touching subject. How do you think you did? Would you have changed anything?
You're right that religion is touchy. But it's also a big part of a lot of people's lives. The hardcore stuff we see or hear about on TV is only a tiny-miney fraction of what's out there. Which is part of why I wanted to take on something like this: to show that there are other ways of believing in God, and trying to practice that in your life. I based a lot of Tabitha's church experience on my own background, so I think there I did okay. If there's one thing I'd change it's maybe where the Ring Thing celebration is in the book. With it being in there so early, and being so intense, it might've set a weird tone for some readers. But it makes such an impact on Tab, I couldn't have taken it out altogether!
NerdsHeartYA just announced two great prize packs that can be won for promoting the competition. There is a signed copy of Pure in second one. And remember every time you spread the word about NerdsHeartYA others get wiser to the goodness of the shortlisted authors.


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Your porno TV channels called me guilty. I will rub the court's decision in your face. We are powerful and soon we'll be dominant.
These were the words last week of Ilias Kasidiaris, second in command of the Greek neo-nazi party Golden Dawn, after leaving the court where was acquitted of being an accessory to the bodily harm and armed robbery of a student in 2007.
In a courtroom occupied by Golden Dawn supporters who wouldn't allow "others" to sit and who would throw abusive remarks at the victim and the witnesses through their teeth, the atmosphere was tense. The few non-Golden Dawn attendees who managed to get hold of a seat, speak of a trial in which the judge lost control early on and the defence was allowed to pressure witnesses and cast doubt over the charges that Kasidiaris had helped those who attacked the student flee in his car. His licence plate number appeared to place him at the scene, but the jury thought different.
Kasidiaris's lawyer argued that users of the Indymedia website had "targeted" him by publishing his license plate number. The claim was supported by the sole testimony of a journalist. No print-out or link to the post was provided.
Was this really enough to convince the jury, or did intimidation play a role?
"People with long hair were checked before entering the room," one of those present, who prefers to remain anonymous, tells me.
On the contrary, the Golden Dawn guys who had swamped the room from early on, were free to roam in and out unchecked. During the trial Kasidiaris's lawyer was allowed to put on a show, bombarding the witnesses with questions, interrupting their answers and on occasion kept them on the stand after the judge had told them to stand down.
This account points to a phenomenon many have suspected for some time: when it comes to Golden Dawn, Greece's judicial system is unable to enforce proper procedure.
This doesn't only happen with Golden Dawn: less than a month ago, eight policemen were acquitted of attacking and severely injuring a student, despite there being video footage of the incident. But it's the cases involving neo-Nazis that truly shock. In September, a member of the party died in Sparta after a bomb blew up in his hands. (His desired target is still unknown.) An accomplice was arrested, 60 more bombs were found in his house, yet he was allowed to walk free by order of the state prosecutor and the case has since vanished from our radar. It's this same body that failed to rule Golden Dawn illegal when the racist, violent character of the party and its bloody past became known to all.
Kasidiaris, who came to international attention last year when he physically attacked an opposition MP on live TV, was acquitted. But the court was also guilty of something far worse: not protecting witnesses and attendees from pressure and intimidation. According to my source:
After leaving the court, I saw 3-4 guys with shaved heads standing next to the police, taking pictures of anyone who came out of the court. I walked away to avoid being targeted.
How can one seek out justice for the transgressions of the far-right when the police so blatantly disregard the safety of the public? Some Golden Dawn supporters have been arrested and convicted of violent crimes, when they have been caught red-handed. But the party's leadership openly encourages, aids and even perpetrates violence, yet goes unpunished. This atmosphere of impunity will only further discourage witnesses from testifying.
What sort of message does this send, and will Greeks who demand justice ever get to see a system that can deliver it?


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Please consult the fee schedule (PDF).
Show All Answers
You can bring your case through Small Claims Court if the amount owed does not exceed $5,000.
Any person(s) 18 years or older or any individual(s) doing business as a company may file a Small Claims case. A parent or guardian may file on behalf of a minor child. Each person who is a plaintiff in the claim must appear at the Clerk's Office to sign the complaint in the presence of a deputy clerk, or the signature must be notarized.
Generally, the Clerk's Office accepts cash, personal check, Mastercard, and Visa for the payment of filing fees. However, the Sheriff's fee must be paid using a Business Check or Money Order payable to the "Escambia County Sheriff's Office".
The paperwork needed for filing a suit in Small Claims will vary from case to case. You will need to bring the original complaint plus two copies of any documentation that actually shows where the money being sued for has been expended. That could include anything from:
We do have the forms for filing your suit and information sheets explaining the process. Also, it is very important that you file your claim against the right party. The additional time you spend researching the correct name could make a difference in whether you are able to collect should a judgment be entered by the court in your favor. County Civil / Small Claims Forms
If you are suing an individual doing business as a company, a partnership where there are several people doing business as a company, a corporation or an insurance company, it is important for you to research this information carefully. You can contact the Florida Secretary of State at 850-488-9000 to find out if the company is incorporated.
You must request this in your original complaint or the defendant can request a jury trial in their original answer. However, the Clerk does not assist with this procedure in any way.
Your case will be set for pretrial/mediation first, which normally is held within 50 days after your suit is filed. Any cases filed by an attorney or a bank or finance company will be set for pretrial and have the option to select mediation. All other cases filed will be set for mediation. These cases are ordered by the Court to attempt to settle the case by mediation.
Both you and the party that you are suing will sit down with a mediator to see if you can work out an agreement. If you are able to reach an agreement, that agreement will be binding and if the defendant fails to comply with the agreement you can request a judgment at that time.
If you are not able to reach an agreement or the defendant denies owing the money, the case will be referred to the Judge for a pretrial to be held. The case will then be set for a final hearing to go before the Judge to make a determination in the case.
You will be awarded a default final judgment.
The final hearing will be set in approximately six to eight weeks, depending on the Court's calendar.
You will be sent a hearing notice in the mail.
Contact the Clerk's office when you receive your notice in the mail and we will go over the procedures at that time. The fee to have a subpoena issued is $7. You will need to provide us with the name and the address of the person(s) you wish to subpoena. There is a $5 witness fee plus $0.06 cents per mile to and from the court. This fee is to be paid to the witness.
Normally, the final hearings are held in a courtroom with the litigants and their witnesses present. If the case is to be set for a jury trial, the jury trial will be held in a courtroom.
If at any time in the proceedings a settlement is reached between the parties, the plaintiff (person(s) who filed the suit) must notify the Clerk's office in writing of that settlement.
If the Judge rules on your behalf, a final judgment will be entered in your favor against the defendant(s).
A final judgment is a legal document stating that this money is owed to you. You must use the final judgment to collect your money against the defendant(s).
You may obtain a certified copy of the final judgment from the Clerk's office, service charges are required. The lien may be recorded in Official Records and will act as a lien against the other party's real property for 10 years. The lien may be extended for another 10 years, by re-recording a certified copy of the judgment and simultaneously recording an affidavit with the current address of the person who has a lien as a result of the judgment. See Section 55.10(2), Florida Statutes.
The Plaintiff may also file a Judgment Lien Certificate with the Department of State to obtain a lien on the Defendant's personal property located anywhere in Florida. The liens lapse after 5 years, but can be extended another 5 years by filing another judgment lien certificate. See Sections 55.204(1) and (3), Florida Status. Visit SunBiz for more information and forms.
The Plaintiff may ask the Clerk's Office to issue a Writ of Execution (directing the sheriff to levy on available non-exempt personal or real property of the Defendant) or Writ of Garnishment (seeking to have a portion of the Defendant's wages withheld). See Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.550 and 1.907; Florida Small Claims Rule 7.200; and Chapter 77, Florida Statutes. Court rules may be viewed online at the Florida Bar.
Please refer to the Florida Bar's Small claims: The who, what, where and why of collection lawsuits.


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John McCain on Tax ReformRepublican nominee for President; Senior Senator (AZ) | |
"To raise taxes on anybody in America today, with the tough economic times we're in, is foolishness," McCain said.
OBAMA: I want to provide a tax cut for 95% of Americans. The vast majority of small businesses would get a tax cut under my plan.
Previously, McCain said Obama voted 94 times to increase taxes, which is way off. He�s now saying it�s 94 votes either for increased taxes or against tax cuts. But that�s still misleading. 18 of the votes were for lowering taxes for most people while increasing them on a few.
McCAIN: Obama didn�t mention that along with his tax cuts he is also proposing some $800 billion in new spending on new programs. That�s the fundamental difference between myself and Obama. I want to cut spending. I want to keep taxes low. The worst thing we could do in this economic climate is to raise people�s taxes.
McCain was badly wrong in what he said about the child �tax credit.� The current child tax credit is $1,000, and McCain is not proposing any increase at all. What McCain actually is proposing is a gradual increase in the $3,500 exemption for each dependent child, starting in 2010 and increasing $500 each year until it reaches $7,000 in 2016. The distinction between a tax credit and a tax exemption is both basic and significant. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of tax owed. An exemption is much less valuable to taxpayers, as it merely reduces the amount of income subject to tax. An exemption is also more valuable to upper-income taxpayers, who fall into higher tax brackets, than to middle- and lower-income taxpayers.
It is a terrible mistake to raise taxes during an economic downturn. Increasing the tax burden on Americans impedes job growth, discourages innovation and makes us less competitive. Small businesses are the biggest job creators in our economy. Keeping individual tax rates low isn�t intended as a favor to wealthy Americans. Most small business owners pay those rates, and taking more money from them deprives them of the capital they need to invest and grow and hire. The first consideration we should have when debating tax policy is how we can help those companies grow and increase the prosperity of the millions of American families whose economic security depends on their success.
A: Yes. I think the worst thing we can do right now--we�ve got some shaky economic times--is to increase people�s taxes. And I think that what we need is more tax cuts. We need to make Bush tax cuts permanent. We need to get rid of the AMT. We need to cut corporate taxes. We need to give people reasons to write off and depreciation their business investments and equipment investments.
A: I mentioned it many, many times. And I had a tax cut package of my own which also included restraints in spending.
Q: But in 2001, you voted for a tax cut that was targeted more at the middle class, and you voted against the tax cut when it tilted more toward the wealthy. Don�t you sound a little bit like Obama or Clinton on that?
A: I don�t think so. Back in 1984, when I first came to the Congress as a foot soldier in the Reagan revolution, I was one of those who fought hard for tax cuts, and we were able to get them. And after that we had one of the greatest periods of economic prosperity in history.
It is true that McCain voted in 2006 to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. But he was against the cuts before he was for them, and his statements in the debate dismiss that fact. McCain voted against both sets of Bush tax cuts, in 2001 and in 2003. And on NBC�s �Meet the Press� in 2004, McCain stated that he did not support extending all the cuts, though he did go on to say that he would make the so-called �middle class� tax cuts permanent.
McCain is entitled to change his mind. And in fact, his opinions are not necessarily contradictory; he may believe that the tax cuts he opposed should now be made permanent so that taxpayers know what to expect. But his statements in the debate could lead voters to believe that he has always supported the cuts, and that�s simply not true
A: I�m sure those people that had to pay it did.
McCAIN: When I first came to Congress, we were in the middle of the Reagan revolution, and I was proud to be a foot soldier in that revolution. And we cut taxes. But we cut spending. And Ronald Reagan insisted that we cut spending, because he knew that it was vital, if we were going to keep the deficit down and not have the fiscal difficulties we have today, we had to cut spending. I�m proud to have supported those tax cuts. And I believe that if we had done what I wanted to do--cut taxes and, at the same time, cut spending--we�d be talking about more tax cuts today. But we let spending get out of control. Unfortunately, we betrayed one of the principles of the Republican Party. I�m in favor of tax cuts. We�ll do them. But we�ll cut spending when I�m president.
A: I do not, and I think we should look very carefully at it. Obviously, we need a simpler, fairer tax code. If Congress can�t fix the tax code, give me the job and I�ll fix it.
A: Everybody�s paying taxes, and wealth creates wealth. A vibrant economy creates wealth. Revenues are at an all-time high.
Q: So you�re saying the system is fair?
A: Sure it�s fair. The bulk of the taxes are paid by wealthy people. Should we reform our tax code? Absolutely we should fix our tax code, and we should fix it immediately.
A: Because I stand on my record. And my record is 24 years of opposing tax increases. And I opposed them & I�ll continue to oppose them. But my proposal in 2000 & 2001 was not just to cut taxes but to stop spending. We allowed spending to get out of control to the point where it bred corruption. I pledge to the American people, I will veto every pork barrel bill that comes across my desk. And I will make the authors of those pork barrel projects famous.
Q: Why not, if you are determined to not raise taxes, why not sign the pledge?
A: Because there�s no point. I stand on my record. I don�t have to sign pledges. We had automatic restraints in spending included in my tax-cut package, [but we Republicans] let spending get out of control and preside over the largest increase in the size of government since the Great Society.
A: I believe that we�ve got to simplify the tax code. But one of the first areas we�ve got to go after is the alternate minimum tax, which is going to eat in to 20 million American families if we don�t eliminate it, and very quickly. Look, when we found out that Congress could not close a single military base when we had a huge number of them, we appointed a commission and they said we would close so many bases, and Congress votes up or down. I would find [someone like former Federal Reserve Chairman] Alan Greenspan. I�d say, �Give us your recommendations.� We�ll pass a law, and we will vote on Alan Greenspan and his commission�s recommendations, yes or no, up or down. That�s the way you�re going to simplify the tax code, which now requires $140 billion of American families� income to prepare their tax returns.
McCain�s campaign said that the senator was drawing his figures from a 2005 report by the President�s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. The panel cited a total compliance cost of $140 billion. But that figure wasn�t just for �families,� it included individual and business taxes. The cost attributed to individuals was $65 billion. And even that figure is not an estimate for the amount of �American families� income� spent to prepare taxes, but assigned a dollar value to preparation time. The IRS calculates time burden separately from cash outlay. For 2000, it puts the latter at $19 billion, a fraction of the figure McCain used.
McCain would have been correct to say that it is estimated that American families spend more than $20 billion of their income on preparing tax returns, plus hours of their valuable time.
A: Mm-hmm.
In 2004, I again asked you about opposing the Bush tax cuts, and you said, �I voted against the tax cuts because of the disproportional amount that went to the wealthiest Americans. I would clearly support not extending those tax cuts in order to help address the deficit.� But now you voted to extend them.
A: I voted to extend them because it would have the effect of having a tax increase. The tax cuts have increased revenues enormously. They�ve been very beneficial. The problem is that spending has lurched completely out of control. My proposal was to restrain spending. I do not support tax increases. And the effect of not making them permanent would have the effect of a tax increase.
A: Because in the proposal that I had, there were significant tax cuts. And the thing that bothered me was that there was no provision to start addressing a contingency. We had a contingency called the Iraq war. And we had no restraint on spending. Yes, these tax cuts needs to be made permanent. Otherwise they will have the effect of a tax increase. But spending is destroying the future of this country.
A: The alternative minimum tax is obviously eating Americans alive, and it�s got to be repealed. Another one I think is important is a $3,000 tax credit for people to be able to purchase health insurance. So low-income Americans will have access to health care, which is an amazing and difficult problem today. And a simpler, flatter, fair tax so that Americans don�t have to spend $140 billion to prepare their tax returns.
A: No, because it would have the effect of a tax increase, and I don�t support tax increases. The fact is that in 2000 I had a proposal that restrained spending. I voted against those tax cuts because there was no restraint of spending, and spending lurched out of control completely.
Q: President McCain, no new taxes?
A: Of course not. I�ve never supported tax increases. I don�t support them now.
Q: And that�s a pledge that you would make over your four years?
A: I don�t take pledges. The fact is my record is very clear of opposition to tax increases. I oppose tax increases. I don�t take pledges.
McCain then warned that if the final bill lowered the top rate any further from the Senate number of 36%, at the expense of the middle class, he would vote against the final bill; when it came back with a top rate of 35%, he did so. It was a bold thing to vote against the president�s highest priority, and some of McCain�s staff worried about the consequences for his standing within his party, but he decided to stick to his own beliefs.
Under the plan, the ceiling for the 15% bracket would rise to $70,000 from $43,050 for married couples filing jointly, and to $35,000 from $25,750 for single taxpayers. The effect is to give a $3,504 tax cut to a couple with taxable income of $70,000 or more.
�I want a balanced approach,� McCain says. �I put a whole lot of money into Social Security, Medicaid, and paying down the debt [and less] money into tax cuts.�
According to McCain�s plan, people who give charitable contributions in the form of stock, real estate, bonds, or artwork could no longer take a tax deduction for the current, appreciated value of the gift. Instead, the donor could take a deduction only for the original cost of the asset. The McCain campaign describes this as closing a loophole for the very rich, while the Bush campaign says it would kill off incentives for giving.
�Wealthy Americans shouldn�t get a tax write-off for contributing a fancy painting or an overvalued stock,� said McCain�s spokesman. �Bush is protecting his wealthy donor base at the expense of the middle class.� By eliminating the deduction, the spokesman said, 25,000 additional working-class people would get a tax cut.
His tax plan largely tracks a proposal he made last summer. New details include a proposal to pay for much of his tax cut by closing $150 billion worth of specific corporate tax loopholes over the next 5 years. Under McCain�s plan, the ceiling for the 15% tax bracket would rise to $70,000 for couples filing jointly and to $35,000 for single people. Its primary benefits would therefore go to people currently in the 28% tax bracket, couples earning over $43,050 and single people earning over $25,750
BUSH: In human terms, [a couple earning] $42,000 a year in income, under [McCain�s] plan, will receive a $200 tax cut. Under the plan that I proposed, they receive an $1,852 tax cut. The fundamental difference is that the additional $1,600 will go to Washington under your idea. And under my idea it goes into people�s pockets. There is enough money to take care of Social Security. There�s enough money to meet the basic needs of our government and there is enough money to give the American people a substantial tax cut.
MCCAIN: I want to thank you for your efforts on behalf of a flat tax. I think we�ve got to eliminate the marriage penalty, the earnings test, raise the 15% tax bracket, put a level of $5 million on the inheritance tax. But this tax code is 44,000 pages long. It�s an abomination. It�s a cornucopia of good deals for the special interests and it�s a nightmare for American citizens. We�ve got to get rid of the special interest loopholes that are right in this tax code. That�s the first step in cleaning it up to reach your goal of a simplified tax system. I appreciate your efforts. But until the day arrives when we remove the influence of the special interests, we�re not going to be able to achieve your goal.
McCain was one of two Republican senators to vote against the Bush tax cuts of 2001, saying that he could not support a tax cut that went to rich Americans rather than middle class Americans. He now favors making the tax cuts permanent.
A: I also said that the major reason why I was opposed to it was because there was no spending cuts. Reagan had tax cuts, but we had spending cuts that went right along with it.
Q: But you voted the third time for the tax cuts, but there weren�t spending cuts.
A: No, but I thought that we ought to keep the tax cuts permanent, because if I had voted in the other way, that would have had the effect of increasing taxes.
Q: Do you believe that voting against the Bush tax cuts was a mistake?
A: Of course not.
Q: Bob Novak wrote in his column, �McCain has admitted to me that those tax votes were a mistake.�
A: I can�t account for Bob Novak�s comments or anybody else�s comments
A: I didn�t say that I was wrong. I said that the reason why I opposed those tax cuts was because we didn�t rein in spending. And the fact is the tax cuts have dramatically increased revenues. If we don�t make them permanent, then every business, farm and family in America will have to adjust their budgets to what is in effect a tax increase.
In 2001, I proposed massive tax cuts, but I also proposed to rein in spending. Spending is out of control. We didn�t lose the 2006 election because of the war in Iraq; we lost it because we in the Republican Party came to Washington to change government and government changed us. We let spending go out of control. We spent money like a drunken sailor, although I never knew a sailor drunk or sober with the imagination of my colleagues.
SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES:Sen. GRASSLEY: The Senate voted to make sure that middle-class America didn't pay the AMT, and we did it without an offset, by a vote of [about 95%]. So here we are again with an opportunity to say to middle-class America that we are not going to tax the people who were not supposed to be hit by the AMT. This amendment gives us an opportunity to get over that hurdle that is in this budget resolution that, under pay-go, you would have to have an offset for the AMT. Unless my amendment is adopted, the 25 million families who will be hit by the AMT increase will get a tax increase of over $2,000 apiece. They deserve a guarantee of relief.OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO: Sen. CONRAD: If you want to blow a hole in the budget as big as all outdoors, here is your opportunity--a trillion dollars not paid for, a trillion dollars that we are going to go out and borrow from the Chinese and Japanese. That makes absolutely no sense. I urge my colleagues to vote no.LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Amendment rejected, 47-51
SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES:Sen. KYL: This amendment is a reprise of what we did last year in offering to reform the estate tax, sometimes referred to as the death tax. Now, in the budget itself, there is a provision to allow the death tax to be changed from the current law to a top rate of 45% and an exempted amount of $3.5 million, and there are some other features. My amendment would reduce that top rate to no higher than 35% so that if you had more than one rate, at least the top rate could not exceed 35%, and both of the two spouses would have a $5 million exempted amount before the estate tax would kick in. Now, the reason for my amendment is: current law [is] getting up to a high rate of 55% and an exempted amount of either $2 million or $1 million, probably $1 million--a continued unfair burden on primarily America's small businesses and farms.
OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO:Sen. CONRAD: This amendment would virtually eliminate the estate tax. Let me say why. Let me first say there is no death tax in the country. Of course, if you poll people and you ask them: Do you want to eliminate the death tax? they will say sure. But you are not going to pay any tax when you die unless you have $2 million. There is no death tax in America. There is a tax on estates. At today's level of $2 million, that affects only 0.5% of estates. When the exemption reaches $3.5 million in 2009, 0.2% of estates will be taxed. If the amendment is agreed to, we would be borrowing money in the name of 99.8% of the American people, borrowing primarily from China & Japan, to give it to the Warren Buffets, the Paris Hiltons, & others of enormous wealth in this country.
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Amendment rejected, 50-50
Proponents recommend voting YES because:
This amendment repeals the AMT. Except for the telephone tax, the alternative minimum tax is the phoniest tax we have ever passed. The AMT, in 1969, was meant to hit 155 taxpayers who used legal means to avoid taxation, under the theory that everybody ought to pay some income tax.
This very year, more than 2,000 people who are very wealthy are not paying any income tax or alternative minimum income tax. So it is not even working and hitting the people it is supposed to hit. Right now, this year, 2007, the year we are in, there are 23 million families that are going to be hit by this tax. It is a phony revenue machine, over 5 years, $467 billion dollars. We are going to have to have a point of order this year to keep these 23 million taxpayers from paying this tax. We might as well do away with it right now, once and for all, and be honest about it.
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
The reality of the budget resolution is this may not have anything to do with eliminating the alternative minimum tax. The one thing it will do is reduce the revenue of the Government over the next 5 years by $533 billion, plunging us right back into deficit. Look, we can deal with the AMT. We have dealt with it in the underlying budget resolution for the next 2 years. There will be no increase in the number of people affected by the AMT for the next 2 years under the budget resolution, and that is paid for. Unfortunately, this amendment is not paid for. It would plunge us back into deficit. I urge my colleagues to vote no.
Proponents recommend voting YES because:
It is disappointing to many family businesses and farm owners to set the death tax rate at what I believe is a confiscatory 45% and set the exemption at only $3.5 million, which most of us believe is too low. This leaves more than 22,000 families subject to the estate tax each year.
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
You can extend all the tax breaks that have been described in this amendment if you pay for them. The problem with the amendment is that over $70 billion is not paid for. It goes on the deficit, which will drive the budget right out of balance. We will be going right back into the deficit ditch. Let us resist this amendment. People could support it if it was paid for, but it is not. However well intended the amendment is, it spends $72.5 billion with no offset. This amendment blows the budget. This amendment takes us from a balance in 2012 right back into deficit. My colleagues can extend those tax cuts if they pay for them, if they offset them. This amendment does not pay for them; it does not offset them; it takes us back into deficit. It ought to be defeated.
Proponents recommend voting YES because:
The permanent solution to the death tax challenge that we have today is a compromise. It is a compromise that prevents the death rate from escalating to 55% and the exclusion dropping to $1 million in 2011. It also includes a minimum wage increase, 40% over the next 3 years. Voting YES is a vote for that permanent death tax relief. Voting YES is for that extension of tax relief. Voting YES is for that 40% minimum wage increase. This gives us the opportunity to address an issue that will affect the typical American family, farmers, & small business owners.
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
Family businesses and family farms should not be broken up to pay taxes. With the booming economy of the 1990s, many more Americans joined the ranks of those who could face estate taxes. Raising the exemption level and lowering the rate in past legislation made sense. Under current law, in my State of Delaware, fewer than 50 families will face any estate tax in 2009. I oppose this legislation's complete repeal of the estate tax because it will cost us $750 billion. Given the world we live in today, with clear domestic needs unmet, full repeal is a luxury that we cannot afford.
To add insult to this injury, the first pay raise for minimum wage workers in 10 years is now hostage to this estate tax cut. We are told that to get those folks on minimum wage a raise, we have to go into debt, so that the sons and daughters of the 7,000 most fortunate families among us will be spared the estate tax. We must say no to this transparent gimmick.
Every year National Taxpayers Union (NTU) rates U.S. Representatives and Senators on their actual votes�every vote that significantly affects taxes, spending, debt, and regulatory burdens on consumers and taxpayers. NTU assigned weights to the votes, reflecting the importance of each vote�s effect. NTU has no partisan axe to grind. All Members of Congress are treated the same regardless of political affiliation. Our only constituency is the overburdened American taxpayer. Grades are given impartially, based on the Taxpayer Score. The Taxpayer Score measures the strength of support for reducing spending and regulation and opposing higher taxes. In general, a higher score is better because it means a Member of Congress voted to lessen or limit the burden on taxpayers. The Taxpayer Score can range between zero and 100. We do not expect anyone to score a 100, nor has any legislator ever scored a perfect 100 in the multi-year history of the comprehensive NTU scoring system. A high score does not mean that the Member of Congress was opposed to all spending or all programs. High-scoring Members have indicated that they would vote for many programs if the amount of spending were lower. A Member who wants to increase spending on some programs can achieve a high score if he or she votes for offsetting cuts in other programs. A zero score would indicate that the Member of Congress approved every spending proposal and opposed every pro-taxpayer reform.
OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2005-2006 CTJ scores as follows:
Citizens for Tax Justice, founded in 1979, is not-for-profit public interest research and advocacy organization focusing on federal, state and local tax policies and their impact upon our nation. CTJ's mission is to give ordinary people a greater voice in the development of tax laws. Against the armies of special interest lobbyists for corporations and the wealthy, CTJ fights for:
Politicians often run for office saying they won't raise taxes, but then quickly turn their backs on the taxpayer. The idea of the Pledge is simple enough: Make them put their no-new-taxes rhetoric in writing.
In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. While ATR has the role of promoting and monitoring the Pledge, the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is actually made to a candidate's constituents, who are entitled to know where candidates stand before sending them to the capitol. Since the Pledge is a prerequisite for many voters, it is considered binding as long as an individual holds the office for which he or she signed the Pledge.
Since its rollout with the endorsement of President Reagan in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts.
[The ATR, Americans for Tax Reform, run by conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist, ask legislators to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge in each election cycle. Their self-description:]
In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, candidates and incumbents solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases. Since its rollout in 1986, the pledge has become de rigeur for Republicans seeking office, and is a necessity for Democrats running in Republican districts. Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state office and to all incumbents. More than 1,100 state officeholders, from state representative to governor, have signed the Pledge.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge: "I pledge to the taxpayers of my district and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."
Opponents' Opinion (from wikipedia.com):In Nov. 2011, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) claimed that Congressional Republicans "are being led like puppets by Grover Norquist. They're giving speeches that we should compromise on our deficit, but never do they compromise on Grover Norquist. He is their leader." Since Norquist's pledge binds signatories to opposing deficit reduction agreements that include any element of increased tax revenue, some Republican deficit hawks now retired from office have stated that Norquist has become an obstacle to deficit reduction. Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, co-chairman of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, has been particularly critical, describing Norquist's position as "no taxes, under any situation, even if your country goes to hell."
The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Increase Federal Income Taxes or Income Tax Rates' The Christian Coalition notes, "You can help make sure that voters have the facts BEFORE they cast their votes. We have surveyed candidates in the most competitive congressional races on the issues that are important to conservatives."
The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Permanent Elimination of the "Death Tax"' The Christian Coalition notes, "You can help make sure that voters have the facts BEFORE they cast their votes. We have surveyed candidates in the most competitive congressional races on the issues that are important to conservatives."
Not only has the Republican-led Congress achieved a balanced budget for the first time since 1969, but it has also created a budget surplus -- a feat not previously even imaginable. It is currently projected that the Fiscal Year 1999 budget surplus will be along the order of some $80 billion, of which $66 billion is earmarked for Social Security. This envious state of affairs would seem to indicate that equitable, far-reaching tax reductions may be in order -- not as an ideological or political strategy, but as a primary element of an economic growth policy and a legitimate tool for holding down unnecessary government growth in times of surplus.
The United States is enjoying steady economic prosperity thanks in no small measure to prudent fiscal policies implemented by the Republican-led Congress. However, we must look not only at the positive side of the economy but also at the problems the economy faces -- at the present time and into the twenty-first century. Limiting government spending (i.e., spending caps) is a good beginning to address some difficulties. In addition, current and future Congresses should maintain a balanced federal budget, pay down the national debt (which will help protect Social Security for current and future generations), redefine the federal government's role in the society and, finally, think about fair tax reductions for the American people and the businesses that drive our economy. [We need] an evaluation of implementing tax cuts based on their social fairness.